Shisounojiyuu
by Naiini
Summary: Rex Racer left in anger, to later die during one fateful race. Or so they thought. Years have gone by, the world starts changing, and ghosts of the past arise...
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: don't own any character or plot that you recognise.

* * *

Shadows. Always around, brewing... What was the world turning into? But that particular answer he knew, the world had turned upside down. He was treading strange grounds. Not really helpful when you have several charges depending on you. _A certainly ironical twist of fate_, he mused. Oh well, life was just not fair.

He took a deep breath and pressed his hand to the sleek surface of the crystal and glared at the swirling patterns coming to life, sealing the pact. Satisfied, he turned his back on the strange device and left the underground hideout, not once glancing back. _That hero complex will be the death of you_, the wind and the darkness and the moon outside seemed to say. _Maybe,_ he answered, more to himself than anything. And with those last thoughts Rex Racer, now to become a nameless shadow, vanished into the night.

_I did swear to protect them or die trying._

--

In the distance, an inhuman growl could be heard. The hunt now begins.


	2. Fears

Speed Racer was not having a good day. _What is it with older brothers...?_ he wondered, but immediately squashed that line of thought. He sighed. Sparky needed the support of his friends. Problem was, said person had actually confined himself to the garage, tinkering with Mach 5, and locking the door with God knows what in the process.

It didn't help that Inspector Detector had forbidden them to leave the house under any circumstances (a few years dealing with the Racer family and friends had actually taught the man _something_), and to prove his point they were under permanent guard. In Speed's mind, this wasn't really much of a problem. He was confident that he could make his way out without being caught. If only Sparky wasn't being so difficult, they could be already chasing a few bad guys and trying to locate Sparky's missing brother. But no. Next race was tomorrow, top condition for Mach 5, and besides there were things he, Sparky, could not tell his best friend just yet, and that was the reason he, Speed, was grumbling and haunting the house like a forlorn – and very moody – ghost.

He knew he was acting childishly, and he didn't particularly care. There was that itch to actually _do_ something instead of moping around. Ever since he had learnt the news of Seth's disappearance, he had felt terribly uneasy. That, coupled with an odd sense of familiarity, had driven the subject close to home. Even after all those years, he still missed his brother dearly, but Rex would never return home, while Seth… he was quite close to the man, having spent memorable afternoons in the company of the Cantrells after Rex's demise, if only to try and forget the pain. (1)

And Sparky understood. Last time he had seen him, earlier that day, their eyes had met and he could read there the same strange feeling, but then he had locked himself up before Speed could come up with any question. He shook his head in frustration. What the hell was going on? Why couldn't they _do _something? True, there was the matter of their "babysitters", but those had never been a problem before.

'Stop pacing around, Speed, next thing you'll be climbing up the walls!' Trixie's sharp tone rang through him.

He turned to face her, muttering something along the lines of being driven mad slowly. She just smiled.

'There's nothing we can do now…'

'What is it he's not telling us?' demanded Speed, facing the closed door.

'He must have his reasons.'

'I'm sure he does.'

'Look, Speed…', she approached him, and actually took his face in both hands to make sure he paid attention. 'Have faith in him. He sure does trust you when you get the lot of us into a tight spot, so what if this time it is the other way around? He's going through a lot.'

'Don't I know it…' Speed grumbled, but couldn't truly resist her logic, not with her so close and all, anyway.

Trixie was nervous. Twice she opened her mouth to say something, and then decided against it.

'You're hiding something too?' Speed realized, feeling a little betrayed.

'No, it's just that…'

She looked uneasy too. That was the first thing Speed noticed. Perhaps that heavy atmosphere that surrounded them wasn't a figment of his imagination after all.

'It isn't very important. I don't know why I'm overreacting like this' she reasoned, biting her lip. 'Seth left him a letter. That's all I know. But then I saw him burning it, and it looked like he was haunted, so pale… I couldn't bring it up with him, just couldn't. Because of that letter, he changed. He's waiting. Something is going on.'

She looked at him straight in the eye.

'Yes, I can feel it too.'

Speed marveled at how she could read him so easily, although that wasn't enough to ease his mind. Silence ensued. The couple just stood together, each lost to their own thoughts, each pondering what it was that had come upon them and why, why the certainty that something was in store for them. A premonition of some unknown impending disaster, Speed realized with a chill running up his spine.

--

At Speed's eyes, it was a mere distraction from the main course of events; nevertheless, it mobilized the whole family. Because something did happen, but not what everybody was expecting. Whatever it was that they were expecting. Dr. Bent Cranium was alive. (2)

'Come on, guys, why the hell do we have to visit him? He's a fake doc with a fake name and crazy enough to declare to the world he has been through heaven and back again…'

'Speed, please mind how you speak in front of your little brother.'

Sigh.

'Yes, Mom. I'm sorry.'

Inspector Dectector had finally lifted the prohibition to go out (or "house arrest", as Spritle called it) and they were driving towards the theatre for a night out. Chim Chim had been forced to stay behind, so this little detour was really the only thing that had convinced the boy to come.

'His work is real enough. I'm curious to find out what he's been up to all this time' Pops declared good naturedly, while parking the van in front of the private clinic.

'His assistant was also real enough' Sparky added. He had been trying to convince the rest of them he was ok since early that morning. However, his attempt at humor didn't fool anyone. Trixie shot a worried glance in Speed's direction. Speed simply thanked heavens Mom Racer hadn't heard. The mentioned personal assistant was quite a woman.

'Besides, I heard the man has gone truly insane. Don't you find it exciting? I'm sure it's going to be a great experience!' Mom beamed, while the others just blinked. There were times when no one could figure her out.

'So it's true?' Spritle asked, running to keep up with Speed's pace. 'The old guy has gone barmy for real this time?'

'I don't know, and I'd rather not know. Don't let Mom hear you' said Speed, sparing a glance to the rest of the family which was making its way through dazzling white corridors. Even Hawk was proceeding in his wheelchair like he didn't have a care in the world.

Speed felt sick in that place.

'Aww, Speed, what's up with you? You're no fun!'

Pops stopped in front of a door, Mom right beside him and carrying a bunch of flowers. Speed was vaguely aware of rule that stated "only two people at a time", but everybody else seemed to be happily ignoring it. Someone wheezed a faint 'come in', allowing the Racers and Co. to invade the room, and immediately Speed was confronted with a somewhat frightening sight. The Doctor was sprawled in his bed, white covers entangled or thrown aside. There were no tubes coming out of his body, but that didn't assure him of the man's healthy state.

His mother seemed to think along the same lines, because after depositing the flowers on the bedside table, she calmly backed away and whispered Trixie to take Spritle outside. She gladly complied, letting go of Speed's hand which she had gripped upon entering the room, and exited. Not without complaints from the boy, of course.

Speed studied the doc. He seemed to be sleeping, but then whose voice it was they had heard? And what had happened to his long white hair, he looked like a patient with cancer, his head bald and raked with long scratches. Were those nail scratches? His eyes were also badly bruised; he couldn't have been inflicting those injuries upon himself, could he?

Swollen eyes. Open. All of a sudden, a scream pierced the silence.

'Get away from me!'

Everybody jumped a foot in the air, while wild eyes searched the room frenetically. The Doctor had bolted upright in his bed, looking beyond them, his whole body shaking.

'Doctor Bent Cranium? Are you all right?' uncle Henry asked tentatively.

His eyes focused and unfocused, but the crazy doctor seemed somewhat aware there was someone else in the room. His colorless lips were slowly forming a large grin.

'Visitors! How nice, how wonderful, come closer, I don't bite…' and suddenly his whole demeanor changed. 'STOP where you are!' he shouted. 'Oh no, you don't fool me. They wanted me to forget…'

His voice cackled, raising and lowering in a spin.

'They wanted me in their lie. The biggest of all. The lie that weaves all lies. But forgetting is for sane people. Forgetting is a gift. Doctor Bent Cranium was already insane!' he declared triumphantly.

'Who are they? What did they want you to…' Speed started, just for the sake of curiosity, but was interrupted by a snarl.

'DON'T YOU DARE question me. Information has a price. Yes, you would like to know, wouldn't you? You, above any others, and you, and you…'

The Doctor seemed to be considering every person in the room with a greedy expression. However, he froze the moment his eyes fell upon Mom Racer. All menace gone. All energy spent. His eyes lost their insanity, and for a moment he just looked like a very old man, so sad and defeated. He let himself slid back down, the covers swallowing him.

'The lie will be over. The brother and the sister. The Era of the Dragon.' his whispers filled the room. And then, so low they had to strain their ears to understand it, came a single word.

'Shisounojiyuu.'

The whole family watched quietly, in utter shock in fact, as the doc closed his eyes and did not move again. He could be dead if it weren't for his faint breathing.

'Weeell... that was interesting' Hawk said very slowly, but he didn't look amused at all.

Everybody was suddenly aware that they were crowding the small room (and that if a nurse found them they'd be murdered on the spot) and began to clear off.

'What's the matter, Frannie dear?' Speed heard Pops asking Mom right behind him. He noticed she had yet to move from the spot where she had been standing. (3)

'Nothing… nothing.' she mumbled as if waking up from a trance.

'You shouldn't pay too much attention to the ramblings of a crazy man, you know.' Pops reminded her softly.

'I know, it's ok. I was just surprised, that's all.' Mom reassured him, a bright smile plastered on her face. But her words sounded too fake to Speed's ears when compared to the genuine chill he was suddenly feeling.

* * *

_A/N: (1) in the series "New Adventures of Speed Racer", Sparky had a brother; I don't remember any details about him, nor Sparky's surname, so I named him Seth Cantrell; (2) in "Speed Racer #2", a BD by Tommy Yune; (3) never found out Mom Racer's real name, so I'm giving her one (Frannie is Frances pet form)._


End file.
